Gogglebox stars Sophie and Pete Sandiford's real lives – surprising jobs, secret relationships and acting past
Sophie and Pete Sandiford have cemented themselves as Gogglebox legends, thanks to their hilarious reactions and witty one-liners. The Blackpool-based siblings have been part of the cast since 2017, joining for the tenth series.
Sophie, 27, and Pete, 29, proved to be an instant hit with TV viewers and have remained a part of the Gogglebox cast ever since. The pair's humour has helped them standout among their fellow Goggleboxers, as well as their iconic collection of tacky mugs and brightly coloured living room.
So, what do we know about Pete and Sophie away from Gogglebox? Let's take a look into their lives away from the cameras...
Real jobs
When they're not watching television together, Pete and Sophie can be found working in their day jobs. Pete previously worked in insurance, before training as a roofer and founding his own building business.
Meanwhile Sophie previously worked at high street store Debenhams. She was made redundant in 2021 when the department store collapsed and all stores across the UK were shut down. She then went on to train as a florist and founded her own business, called Petali Floristry.
Relationships
Away from Gogglebox, Pete is married to wife Paige Yeomans. The couple tied the knot in 2021 and later tat same year their first child, a baby boy named Jimmy, was born.
Pete and Paige then welcomed a daughter, Evie, in June 2023. The TV star tends to keep his private life out of the spotlight, having only confirmed his engagement when sister Sophie mentioned it on TV.
Meanwhile, Sophie is in a relationship with boyfriend Ben McKeown. The couple went public with their relationship in 2022, with Sophie sharing loved-up photos on Instagram.
Homes
Each Gogglebox family's living room has become iconic, with many homes instantly recognisable. Sophie and Pete sit in the same spots on each episode, with Pete lying on the sofa while Sophie sits in a huge yellow armchair. The room boasts wooden furniture and patterned wallpaper, along with the pair's famed tacky mugs.
Fans had previously questioned who the home belonged to, or whether the siblings live together. Pete previously cleared things up, revealing the property was once his, but now belongs to Sophie.
"So, it was my house originally. I had it for years and then I split with the girl I was seeing and thought: 'I don't really want to live here any more'," he told Heat magazine.
Sophie then "took over" the property. Pete added: "Soph bought the house off me and I moved out, and now me and Paige have our own house."
Famous relatives
Gogglebox fans were left stunned when it was revealed that Sophie and Pete have some famous - and very funny - relatives. The duo are the niece and nephew of the famous Chuckle Brothers, AKA Barry and Paul Chuckle.
The connection was revealed when photos were shared online. Paul previously shared a selfie with Pete and Sophie in 2019, writing on X: He wrote: "Look who we had a very nice lunch with @pinklarkholme #ProudUncle @Petesandiford @PeteandSophie @llucyjohnson".
When a fan asked if Paul is related to the Gogglebox stars, he confirmed: "We most certainly are".
Barry sadly passed away in 2018 and Sophie paid tribute to her late uncle on social media. She penned: "A truly lovely and funny man to be around. You filled millions of childhoods with laughter and entertainment including mine and Peters. You will be sadly missed by many. Rest in peace Uncle Barry. Lots of love from me, to you."
Secret acting past
Gogglebox wasn't Sophie and Pete's first TV experience. The pair were actually scouted for the show thanks to an appearance in an advert, along with the rest of their family.
A year prior to joining the cast, Sophie and Pete, their siblings Lucy and Harry, as well as parents Julie and Paul, all appeared in a TalkTalk advert. The ad, for the campaign This Stuff Matters, saw the family's day-to-day lives filmed, with a few special moments featuring in the final cut.
The family were filmed non stop for two weeks with 17 unmanned cameras to find the perfect "ordinary, everyday moments". It's been claimed that this helped the siblings to land their roles on Gogglebox, but the rest of their family have never featured on the show.
